Ok, I know that I said this thread was basically meaningless and all (for the next 11 months), based on Pac-12 not having any more leverage until August of next year.

But I actually thought of something that would gain them leverage again, over DirecTV by or before then. If they decide to expand, quickly, with two more universities, and call themselves the Pac-14, then they might get on DirecTV by or before then. Send other employees in to do their negotiating with DirecTV, as the Pac-14 conference. As naive as DirecTV is (especially their common employee) at knowing about Pac football, then they would just think it's a completely different conference. That's how ignorant DirecTV will be. They don't know sh** about Pac football to begin with. They'll just assume it's a whole difference conference, and the negotiations can take place without the previous pride issues or bad blood to worry about. No previous grudge = better chance for deal.

So Pac needs to act quick.
Get two more on board (preferably east coast schools, since DirecTV cares about them a lot more). How about Syracuse and Rutgers? We're talking about the New York market right there, and DirecTV won't want to lose that.

DirecTV: "Hmmmm, Pac-14. Well, hopefully they're nicer to us in the negotiation process than that other conference was, the Pack-12 or whatever they were called again"

Click to expand...

I'm not sure where you got the idea that they are unaware of the conference. You may want to look at where their corporate offices are located. Im sure there are a lot of fans of PAC-12 conference teams there. I'm also not sure why you believe industry leading executives would be confused by the addition of schools to a conference. This is a business decision. They aren't going to simply sign a deal they feel isn't right for them because a tiny fraction of their customers threaten to leave. The word is that DISH hasn't even experienced a lot of churn after dropping AMC. The lack of PAC-12 Network will have far less impact on DirecTV than losing AMC has had on DISH.

DirecTV has a reputation for taking their time and getting the deal right the first time so that the long term prospects are as positive as possible. Again, it's a business decision. When the two sides come to terms on a deal they can both agree upon, they will add the channel. The number of deals the network has with other providers is meaningless. Regional cable companies are far more dependent upon regional programming and it has a bigger impact on them if they don't add this channel. The only national provider to add it is DISH and they are desperate for positive press following a string of disappointments and a massive ($$$) court ruling that could come any day now. Those other providers had/have a greater financial risk by not adding the PAC-12 Network.

The only way that would work is if the schools were like some of the following Notre Dame, Michigan, Duke, North Carolina, Tennessee, Florida, Florida State, and Texas to name a few. They have to be the schools with huge followings and are in demand nationally.

BusterAvis said:

Ok, I know that I said this thread was basically meaningless and all (for the next 11 months), based on Pac-12 not having any more leverage until August of next year.

But I actually thought of something that would gain them leverage again, over DirecTV by or before then. If they decide to expand, quickly, with two more universities, and call themselves the Pac-14, then they might get on DirecTV by or before then. Send other employees in to do their negotiating with DirecTV, as the Pac-14 conference. As naive as DirecTV is (especially their common employee) at knowing about Pac football, then they would just think it's a completely different conference. That's how ignorant DirecTV will be. They don't know sh** about Pac football to begin with. They'll just assume it's a whole difference conference, and the negotiations can take place without the previous pride issues or bad blood to worry about. No previous grudge = better chance for deal.

So Pac needs to act quick.
Get two more on board (preferably east coast schools, since DirecTV cares about them a lot more). How about Syracuse and Rutgers? We're talking about the New York market right there, and DirecTV won't want to lose that.

DirecTV: "Hmmmm, Pac-14. Well, hopefully they're nicer to us in the negotiation process than that other conference was, the Pack-12 or whatever they were called again"

The only way that would work is if the schools were like some of the following Notre Dame, Michigan, Duke, North Carolina, Tennessee, Florida, Florida State, and Texas to name a few. They have to be the schools with huge followings and are in demand nationally.

Click to expand...

It would be cool for the Pac12 to grab some independents like Notre Dame..

It would be cool for the Pac12 to grab some independents like Notre Dame..

Click to expand...

Except that Notre Dame is way outside of PAC12 territory. PAC12 as a size is already large (just like most western leagues in the majors) and traveling back and forth to Indiana isn't something they will be looking forward to.

Pac-12 expansion only makes sense if Texas is onboard. It would have been cool to see Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and Missouri as the four but that ship has sailed. Texas, Texas Tech, Oklahoma, and OSU I believe are the most likely to eventually join.

It would be cool for the Pac12 to grab some independents like Notre Dame..

Click to expand...

That was what Larry Scott tried to do, he wanted Texas and Oaklahoma. Problem was Texas wanted their own TV deal and they wanted to bring along Texas Tech and A&M. There was talk less than a year ago that Oaklahoma was still seriously looking at joining the Pac 12 and having OK State come with them to make it a 14 team conf. That's when the Big12 got desperate and worked out deals to keep them.

Last offseason the Oklahoma schools (OU and OSU) voted to join what would've become the Pac-14. They thought they would be accepted, but the PAC presidents voted against it. It was the Pac-16 (which included UT) or bust. A Pac-14 just didn't work logistically, leaving both travel and scheduling unbalanced. I was hoping for a Pac-16 (but UT screwed that up...twice!) and agreed a Pac-14 just didn't work.

I believe the Pac-12 has made a fair offer with DTV (coming way down from what the B1G is getting), but has run into a co. that is attempting to dramatically change its business model. Clearly DTV is feeling some heat now, as is made clear by their evolving stance on P12N (now it's a wonderful network they would love to carry, if only the P12 would play fair). It's unfortunate DTV ended up insulting so many passionate and educated P12 customers early on, a bell they cannot un-ring, with their poorly attempted Jedi mind trick, which sent those annoying fanboys to spread their insulting spin across these message boards. Why not just be honest about the situation DTV? And I say this as both a longtime DTV customer (spending around $20k since the late 90's) and a shareholder.

Clearly DTV is feeling some heat now, as is made clear by their evolving stance on P12N

Click to expand...

I have seen absolutely no evidence of that at all. Their Q3 numbers will be released soon and I expect churn to be very low. The lack of an upstart, highly specialized, and unproven network will have very little impact.

ajc68 said:

It's unfortunate DTV ended up insulting so many passionate and educated P12 customers early on

Click to expand...

Heaven forbid a publicly traded company focus on making wise business decisions rather than rash choices based upon the wants of a small segment of their customer base.

You have no idea what the PAC-12 offered in a potential deal. They can't even keep their own versions of that story straight themselves. I want this channel as well, but let's be realistic and understand that this is a business.

DIRECTV has always been a sports leader. We hope to reach a deal soon w the #Pac12, just like we did w the #BigTen, #SEC, #Big12 & #BigEast.

DIRECTV ‏@DIRECTV

@34DUX We are prepared to offer the Pac-12 Network immediately, before this weekend’s games, as a stand alone channel. #Pac12

Click to expand...

No news. The @direcTV twitter team has been saying something along those lines for months "hope to reach a deal soon, stay tuned".

The standalone offer was done last week as a temporary agreement until a more permanent agreement was reached, but was rejected by PAC12. (And understandably so, why would they want to have people pay for something they may get for "free" a few weeks down the line.... and already on other providers).

There is no thawing. There is a hard, ice cold deadlock that doesn't seem to be getting close to thawing any time soon. With the most important football games out of the way, the channel's worth for THIS year has been drastically reduced.

I believe the Pac-12 has made a fair offer with DTV (coming way down from what the B1G is getting), but has run into a co. that is attempting to dramatically change its business model.

Click to expand...

I have tried, but have been unsuccessful in getting the details of this "fair offer" that PAC12 has made. Do you know a little more than we do? What exactly has been offered?

Clearly DTV is feeling some heat now, as is made clear by their evolving stance on P12N (now it's a wonderful network they would love to carry, if only the P12 would play fair).

Click to expand...

From what I see on Twitter, Facebook, and forums like this, I see a lot of "I'm going to ditch DirecTV" threats, but not a whole lot of "I have switched to provider X" comments. So I see no evidence that DirecTV is feeling the heat. If they aren't losing a lot of customers, what heat should they be feeling exactly?

It's unfortunate DTV ended up insulting so many passionate and educated P12 customers early on, a bell they cannot un-ring, with their poorly attempted Jedi mind trick, which sent those annoying fanboys to spread their insulting spin across these message boards. Why not just be honest about the situation DTV? And I say this as both a longtime DTV customer (spending around $20k since the late 90's) and a shareholder.

Click to expand...

I'm still trying to get PAC12 to be honest. From several posts on Twitter and from sports editor blogs I have been able to surmise that an offer was made TO Pac12 for the main channel on channel # 626 with overflow channels for live sporting events (similar as what Dish has in place) for about 70 cents a subscriber. Now if this is true or not, I can't verify... but at least there is some information leaking from DirecTV regarding this. Sportsjournal said PAC12 was asking for 80 cents.

PAC12.... keeps their mouth shut if you ask them anything. They say they have offered a "fair deal" that is "similar to Dish", but they REFUSE to give any details about this "fair deal". Tribune and Viacom ended up releasing their numbers during their dispute, but PAC12 has not done so.... which is of course not uncommon.

Bottom line: We really can't tell who is to blame until someone starts showing some numbers and we, the customers, can decide.

Correct their offer is further away and not closer. They had offered sports pack to put it in and treat it like big ten network, but would not be available outside of that package. The offers now make it an ala carte type option that isn't part of even sports pack. Directv basically doesn't want to take the channel unless it is in some premium type option.

BusterAvis said:

What the flip is a stand alone channel?
That could mean a thousand things.

Correct their offer is further away and not closer. They had offered sports pack to put it in and treat it like big ten network, but would not be available outside of that package. ... Directv basically doesn't want to take the channel unless it is in some premium type option.